A collection of 14 black and white negatives, showing completed Arcon prefabricated bungalows and their interiors, in Croydon. The Temporary Housing Act of 1944/5 was intended to alleviate the acute housing shortages of the immediate postwar years. The Ministry of Works was the government department tasked with the organisation and efficiency of the push for housing construction. The Arcon prefab was the second most manufactured form of postwar housing. Around 39,000 were produced, with each home involving 2,5000 different components. The home builder Taylor Woodrow oversaw their production and construction. Arcon stood for “Architectural Consultants”, and the prefab was one of the featured buildings in the 1944/5 Ministry of Works exhibition hosted by the Tate gallery. The Arcon venture aimed to bring together multiple different manufacturers and to strengthen the links between industry and design. The homes had a steel frame with asbestos-cement sheeting.
The original Ministry of Works storage envelope lists the division as “D.D.T.H” and the operator as “T”.
This is part of the Sub Series: PSA01/04/H Housing; within the Series: PSA01/04 Negatives; within the Collection: PSA01 Property Services Agency
Source: Historic England Archive
Mid 20th Century Prefabricated House, Domestic Interior
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